About Me

Born in August 1887 in Awsworth Notts, to Henry and Sarah Lamin. Elder Sisters Catherine (Kate), Mary Esther and Sarah Anne(Annie) and Elder brother John (Jack).
Educated at Awsworth Board School, just outside Ilkeston, Derbyshire, England.
I served with honour in the 9th Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment seeing front line action in Flanders and Northern Italy from the end of 1916 to January 1920.

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Link to The very first Posts

Helpful Hints

From 1st March 1918 the leap year in 2008 takes the synchronicity of the days and dates away. Decision: I will publish letters a day in advance so that the days of the week coincide, rather than the date.

"New" readers please note that the entries on each page are in reverse order, oldest at the bottom.

It doesn't work quite like a book. To make sense of the whole blog, take the link to the "First Posts", work from the bottom entry upwards and then take the "Newer posts" link at the bottom of each page for the next installment.

Link to The First Post. (New Readers)

Virtually every other day men leave for their demob. Not Harry, I'm afraid.

By the end of February a number are shipped to Fiume and the Battalion is reduced to a "Cadre" of 2o men.By the end of March, even the cadre has been shipped to England. Not Harry, still in Tavernelle, cooking.Harry is very restrained in his letters. He must be very frustrated. BL

5 comments:

Thanks to the Ministry of Defense for finishing with the Battalion War Diary in such a timely manner. It only took them 3 months to muddle through. Meanwhile, we have been missing out on valuable information about Harry's continued detainement in Italy, cooking for the brass, of all things. Now, the Diary will keep us informed about his battalion's activity and "dispersal". I see they continue to route march. They probably route march in their sleep!

Ministry of Defense messing around in 2009 for no discernable reason with ninety year old public records..... Ministry of Defense messing around in 1919 by letting some guys go home, and keeping others (like our Harry!) in Italy for extra months for no discernable reason.....

Do you see any rhyme or reason in WHO is getting demobbed? Longest enlistments first, longest time since leave, any particular specialties (not a lot of need now for sappers!) or assignments? (Maybe Harry getting into what we first thought was a slightly cushy berth, cooking for some officers, was a bad move after all: they'll want to keep their best cooks as long as they themselves are there!)